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Battery Scams
Battery Scams
So, this post is about the lessons learned from scams against us in recent years. Of course, the motor trade is synonymous with online scams. This type of theft occurred when the internet became more popular. Scammers also cottoned on to credit card companies giving priority to customers and the “chargeback scheme”. Consequently, this brought a plethora of dishonest people claiming that the goods that they ordered had not arrived. So, the credit card companies will charge back the supplier and credit the so-called customer with a refund.
Of course, this leaves the supplier to prove whether the goods were genuinely delivered or not. As we all know, there are times when goods are honestly left in a safe place or with a neighbour. Companies are taking steps to try and alleviate the problem by using a number of measures. So, in our case, we would take a picture as some sort of proof of the delivery. This has saved our skins on occasions! However, people have still claimed that the batteries were never delivered and claimed a chargeback against us from the credit card company. All part of Battery Scams.
Small companies are the main target
Unfortunately, we have had to learn from our mistakes. Small businesses do not have access to some of these technologies. Which can prove that a delivery has taken place. Companies such as Amazon and large couriers are always battling against claims of non-delivery. Strangely, you would have thought that scammers would not bother trying to fraudulently buy batteries! They are heavy and clumsy to handle! However, believe me, they do!
Unfortunately, we do not know that we have been taken for a ride until we receive the charge back from the credit card company. Probably two or three weeks later and too late to chase the scam up. Of course, they have scampered off with the batteries by this time. Scammers use addresses that are not vacated and just wait for the courier to arrive with the goods. Many Battery Scams are bought with stolen credit and debit cards.
Large battery order to Birmingham, UK
Fortunately, we have learned how to spot scams and will not send a battery out if we suspect an attempted fraud. This brings me up to date with an order received on my batteriesweb.co.uk website. Consequently, the order was for four large Varta AGM truck batteries. These large batteries were for just under £2000! A good order for a small business like ours!
However, I did “smell a rat” and thought it was too good to be true. The order was to an address in Birmingham, the UK’s second city. These batteries are very heavy and require two people to handle them. Sending them by courier was out of the question. One of my duties at the moment is as a delivery guy. So, we deliver our very large or multiple battery deliveries all over the UK. This makes sure the batteries arrive safely and in one piece, and not part of Battery Scams.
This delivery was no exception,
and I arrived at the address given at about 10 a.m. Shock horror, the house was not occupied with an overgrown garden and no hard drive for a safe delivery. Parking my van up a little down the road, I walked to the front door and had a look at the empty property. We were obviously the culprits of an attempted fraud.
Swiftly returning back to our base at Pellon Autocentre Halifax of course, with the batteries in the back of my van. We are determined not to be had by these people. Of course, the credit card issued us a chargeback. However, this time we foiled the attempted fraud! The house was obviously used as a drop-off address for attempted credit card battery scams.
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